Theft of HK$2 million in cash and watches on board flight

For those of you who are frequent flyers you may be aware of the increasing incidence of in-flight theft of money and valuables from passengers by fellow passengers. In Hong Kong, from where today’s news comes, there were 48 cases and HKD2.61 million worth of thefts in 2014 and in 2015, just under HKD5 million stolen on in-bound flights.

Hong Kong media reports that Turkish businessman Mustasa Saci, a watch dealer who was travelling in economy class on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Hong Kong, discovered the theft of HKD2 million worth of currency and valuables (in the form of two watches, a Patek Philippe and a Rolex, models not identified) upon disembarkation on May 1, 2016. Stolen from his overhead locker, the cash component was US200,000 (approx HKD1,552,000).

There have been increasing reports of thefts on board flights in both economy and business classes, so for those of you who do travel with more than the watch on your wrist, wear your second on the other wrist (that’s why we have two wrists, after all), or keep it within reach during your flight.